Borrowed Time and Stolen Smiles
by pushingdaisiesxx
Summary: Evie Zuelly watched her parents die right in front of her eyes. Will she be able to find comfort in the boy with the flaming red hair and a love for making people smile? Time is everything and falling in love might just make life worth living.Fred W./OC!


_**A/N**: Hey guys, I'm back from my very long hiatus! As you can see, I've decided to re-write BT&SS from scratch and I hope that this version proves to be better than the first. I've gone through a sort of "transformation" in the last year and I've found that the way I used to view things before is completely different now. A lot has changed for me, so I hope you can see that in my new stuff. _

_Now, I assure you, this story will still be Fred/OC but it will also be a story to expand my character in the world of Harry Potter. Just a fair warning. :)_

_Now I guess I'm permitted to have some sort of disclaimer her or something, yes?_

**_DISCLAIMER: YEAH, I DON'T OWN THE HARRY POTTER UNIVERSE. JUST EVELIA. AND ROMALYNN. AND... WELL YOU GET THE IDEA._**

**_-_**_Shelby_

* * *

_In dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own. _

_ ~Steven Kloves_

* * *

"Shh! You must be quiet, Evelia." The elder of two girls cooed. Sitting in the cab of an old Bentley, she rubbed the child's back lovingly and prompted the infant to hush her cries. "There's no need to work up a fuss."

"Where's mummy?" The four-year-old whispered. She rubbed her eyes softly, rimming their emerald color with a shiny pink.

"Mummy is inside. But you must calm yourself if she is to return."

The older girl stared with hopeful eyes at the house before her. It was one of the many more modernized Victorian Terraces located in south-western London. Vines tangled themselves over the surface of the polished grey brick, crisscrossing into a tightly knit hold. Through the window in the uppermost right corner where the curtains were pulled tightly shut, a scene so discomforting was unfolding. The older girl watched in silent apprehension, the fate of her sister and herself now a mystery to her.

Moments turned into minutes. Eventually the child's cries diminished and now her head began to lull, her hands unclenched around her sisters jumper as she soon found comfort in sleep. It was cold for September but the heat flowing from the vents of the car covered the two bodies like a blanket. The windows began to fog and soon, the eldest could only hope that nothing too horrid was happening inside. That was until she heard the scream.

The girl gripped the child tighter as she watched the grand oak door in fear, waiting for someone… _anyone_ to appear.

Only then did she look away when the blinding green light illuminated the window in the uppermost right corner.

* * *

Romalynn Reeves grasped her thrashing friend at the shoulders in one of her many efforts to calm her down. The compartment door was left open in her haste to get to her friend and she glanced back at it in search for help. The girl lying across the seat appeared to be in a deep sleep; her anguished face was covered in sweat and her hair was fanned out underneath her like a halo.

"Evie… Evelia Marie Zuelly, wake your _arse_ up!" She yelled impatiently. The girl, Evie, woke with a start. Tears welled up in her eyes, making the emerald green color of them shine.

Romalynn took a shaky breath and removed her hands."Wh-what happened?"

"Bad dream." Evie gasped after collecting herself.

"… just a dream." She muttered again, mostly to herself.

A few first years ran past the door laughing happily. Romalynn looked at her best friend with concern. Holding her hands up, Evie smiled weakly hoping to reassure the blonde beside her.

"Well… let's _not_ do that again, shall we? I'm sure my racing heart is somewhere back in London by now." Romalynn teased and brought herself to her feet. The way Romalynn spoke indicated her discomfort.

"I don't even remember feeling tired… Must have been all of that late-night packing." Evelia pondered, ending with a yawn.

Romalynn rolled her eyes. "And here I thought you were the responsible one out of the pair of us."

"I still am." Evie countered. Her best friend eased and laughed along with her, the fright of their first encounter of the day all but forgotten.

"Oh, it's just Reeves. Thought the train had become a petting zoo of Hippogriffs from all of that cackling."

Standing with his back resting against the door of their compartment was George Weasley (or maybe was it Fred…?), an amused grin etched on his permanently freckled face. His blue eyes sparkling with subdued mischief were all but obscured by his tousled ginger hair. He was joined by his twin, who looked almost equally as charming.

"Funny, Weasley. Shouldn't you be torturing first years by now?" Romalynn glanced down at her watch. "The train has been moving for nearly two whole hours."

"Oooh, touchy." He replied after sharing a laugh with his brother. The girls waited for the two, who had suddenly dived into a conversation relating inevitably to the array of first years, to exit the compartment but once a set of eyes landed on Evie all teasing stopped.

"Evelia. I didn't realize you were there." said George, wringing his hands in front of him.

Evie remained silent as George continued to glance up at her from the floor. She looked at Romalynn who was quite enjoying the recent turn of events and sighed, shaking her head.

She struggled to find the right words. Never being one to initiate a conversation, she settled for a simple "Hello, George."

They both acknowledged each other with a nod. Evie's smile stiffened. The air seemed to grow tenser as the seconds ticked away. She never knew to associate the twins with silence and the atmosphere just seemed… off.

"Wow, you can actually _feel_ the awkward." Fred said. It was almost as if he'd read her mind. He began pawing at the air around them with his long fingers. George turned on his brother effectively shoving him away from the compartment without as much as a 'farewell'.

"What… i-in the bloody hell…was _that_?" Evie asked. She let out a strained breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.

Romalynn collapsed into the seat, propping her feet up on the cushion with a satisfied smirk. "Looks like I've finally discovered a weakness in that bloody intolerable, foolish, arrogant, little... mold of his."

"Who do you mean?"

"George, of course." She answered.

Evie still had no idea what the blonde was talking about. "Oh, c'mon. You had to of noticed."

"Notice what?"

Looking incredibly irritated at having to explain, Romalynn rolled her electric blue eyes and positioned herself properly on the seat. She looked up in to the eyes of her best friend and started in a slow, low tone.

"George Weasley fancies you."

Evie scoffed. "You're barking."

It was quite a while before either of them spoke again. The fast moving scenery just outside the train's confines captivated Evie into silence. She contemplated what Romalynn told her with an open mind. Or… as open of a mind as she could have, considering this particular subject.

The combination of greens and browns that made up Scotland's countryside did soon cease to transfix her and she took to examining the environment around her. Light outside was growing dim and once it'd reached half past 6, the girls decided it was late enough to change into their robes.

Romalynn reached for the blinds on either window of the compartment, pulling them down with a 'click'.

"Don't want to encourage any Peeping Toms." She said, winking. "Or, in your case… Peeping _Weasley's_."

Oh, that girl.

* * *

At around 7 o'clock, vibrations came from the wheels and the train began slowing for their arrival at Hogsmeade Station. The halls outside began filling up with students eager to get to the castle. The more gleeful ones being the first years, who were becoming more restless as the village came into view.

"I'm starving." Romalynn sighed.

Evie felt the corner of her soft red lips rise in a smile and she silently agreed. Where the snacks the Hogwarts Express offered were fantastic in their own way, nothing truly compared to that of the feast.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be eating my weight in pudding tonight." She said, patting her stomach.

"Those house elves are highly under appreciated."

The train came to a screeching halt. Squeals of delight sounded up and down the hall as many pushed their way to the platform. Evie could not be more thankful for the self-drawn carriages waiting yards away rather than having to encounter the boats, just as every batch of first-years do each year. A shudder ran through her body as she thought back on this night six years ago. Through the rain and thunder they drifted on top of the choppy water. The delight of being the first to see the castle was short lived because no one could actuallysee _anything_.

The pair exited the compartment together and made their way off the train. Evie was careful that this time she would not fall off of the step, potentially causing her enough embarrassment to last a lifetime. Once off the train, they walked to the horseless carriages arm in arm.

The night was chilly and Evie took kindly to the body heat surrounding her. A lot of people greeted her with a wave or would come up and start telling her about their summer. She also received a lot of rude stares from passing Slytherins, who though it was funny to try and trip her up or throw things over their shoulders. But that's what came with being in Gryffindor.

"So, have you heard about the Tri Wizard Tournament?" Romalynn asked once they were seated in a carriage. Two Ravenclaws opposite them perked up at the mention of the name but Evie sat in confusion.

"Well," She said. "It's been discontinued, hasn't it? For years now."

"It has, yes. But rumor has it," The blonde paused and threw a glance at the Ravenclaws, apparently deciding the news was safe to share. "It's been resurrected!"

Romalynn broke out in a smile. "And guess who's going for the gold." She exclaimed, gesturing to herself madly.

"You really are insane." said Evie as Hogwarts castle came into view.

Evie hopped from the carriage in one swift motion and landed gracefully on both feet. There stood Hogwarts castle, in all its grandeur before her, as elegant as she remembered from six weeks of holiday. Torches were lit and illuminated the night sky, casting shadows on the stone grounds. Her heart fluttered when she pushed the tall wooden door and embraced her surroundings. She was home. As corny as it sounds, it was true.

A blinding light flashed before her after she reached the top of the stairs, paralyzing her with terror. A flash of green flashed before her in memory and she thought back to the train and that horrible nightmare. You would think having the same dream nearly every night, some would grow used to it. Of course, she couldn't be so lucky.

"Pose, Zuelly." The fifth year called. "The camera loves you."

"Katie Bell, you little minx."

Katie flashed a dazzling smile and snapped another shot as Romalynn rushed up behind Evie, scooping her into her arms. The trio was interrupted by a fuming Professor McGonagall who not only threatened to send owls to their parents, but send them packing tonight if they refused to 'behave like respectable young ladies'. Evie, Romalynn and Katie bowed their heads and entered the Great Hall along with the many Hogwarts students.

"Old tart." Katie muttered coldly.

* * *

"Can you believe it!" cried Romalynn, throwing her fork down onto her plate. "Seventeen! I'm nearly seventeen!"

"You sure don't act it…" Angelina Johnson replied, dodging a pea being shot at her from across the table. Romalynn gave her a sinister glare and shoved away from the table without a word.

Dumbledore's speech had ended in an uproar of annoyed complaints about the details given for the Tri Wizard Tournament that would be taking place over the next year and Evie knew that she would only be hearing the start of them coming from her best friend tonight.

"Romes, I think you're overreacting." said Evie.

"Maybe just a smidgen." Alicia Spinnet, another Gryffindor from their year, added.

"Don't think for one second that I'm going to let this stop me." said Romalynn. She was going for a grand exit, but the effect was put off when she turned around to find the sea of first year Gryffindor's following her expectantly.

"I still don't understand how _she_ was named Prefect." said Angelina as the watched Romalynn struggle.

"Geez, you guys are like little ants." She said, pushing through to the front. "Oh, alright. Follow me.

Evie shook her head and joined the rest of her friends as they exited the Great Hall. Her head was swimming already from the day's events. How she was going to handle a whole year of this, was a mystery to her.

"Evie, your bag!" A call came from behind her.

"Oh, thanks," She said reaching for the tote. The smile that lit up her heart-shaped face faltered when she looked into the face of Fred (or George… she really couldn't tell) Weasley as he handed her the bag. His _eyes_… His eyes searched hers only for a moment until the connection was broken and he returned to his waiting twin.

She shrugged it off and started walking towards the Gryffindor common room with her friends. They climbed through the portrait hole after giving the password, (Beetle newt), and exhaustion washed over her within seconds. Lying in her four-poster bed that night, she went over the day in her head. Tomorrow was sure to be interesting, she thought, as every first day of class was. She stayed up until she could no longer keep her eyes open and buried herself into her sheets, relaxing herself from head to toe.

As on every night, the daunting green flash haunted her dreams… yet she did not wake.

* * *

**_R&R_**


End file.
